


a thousand ways to say your name

by TheIronBee (canadduh)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Established Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark, Established Relationship, Fingering, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Makeup Sex, Nicknames, Secret Relationship, Smut, Tony Creates sentient appliances, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro, Tony Stark needs supervision around kitchen appliances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:33:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24310621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadduh/pseuds/TheIronBee
Summary: Tony Stark needs supervision around kitchen appliances.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 18
Kudos: 275





	1. The Toaster

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thank you to [Maggie <3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaggieMaybe160/pseuds/MaggieMaybe160) and [Fearlesslexi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fearlesslexi) for their work fixing my mistakes on this fic!

He wakes with a start. His heart pounds painfully in his chest and he. can’t. breathe. He doesn’t open his eyes, not wanting to be met with the dripping walls of the cave. The vast emptiness of space. The blank eyes of his teammates wondering why he didn’t do better, didn’t do more. Why he couldn’t help them, couldn’t save—

“It is 4:36 am, sir. It is May 16th, 2018. You are in Stark Tower. There is no one else in the room. You are safe, sir.”

“Turn on the shower, J,” He says when he can breathe again. His throat feels like he’d been gargling burning hot sand. “I feel like I just went ten rounds in the ring with Rogers.”

“That sounds distinctly unpleasant, sir.”

“Sure is, baby boy. It sure is.”

Once clean, Tony checks his messages and sees one from Bucky waiting for him. The soldier was supposed to be in Wakanda recovering from the surgery that would completely remove the Hydra built arm. Tony knew he’d need to heal before they could attach the arm that Tony and Shuri had built for him.

**Ice Queen:** What the hell did you do to the toaster, Stark? Received 4:20 am

Wait.

**Me:** How’d you know about the toaster? **Sent 4:54 am**  
**Me:** I don’t even know what I did to the toaster? **Sent 4:54 am**  
**Me:** Is the toaster physically in the kitchen? **Sent 4:54 am**  
**Me:** Wait. ? **Sent 4:54 am**  
**Me:** Are you physically in the kitchen? **Sent 4:55 am**  
**Me** : Snowflake? **Sent 4:55 am**

**Ice Queen:** Your toaster just ate my bagel, Stark. Get your ass in here and fix it before I break something. **Received 4:55 am**  
**Ice Queen:** How the hell does a toaster even eat a bagel? **Received 4:56 am**

**Me:** Holy fucking shit. **Sent 4:56 am**  
**Me:** On my way, Tasty Freeze. **Sent 4:57 am**

“J?” Tony asks as he struggles to put on a pair of pants. He doesn’t bother with a shirt as he flies out of the room, eager to see his boyfriend. “What did I do to the toaster?”

“You taught it to eat the bread of its enemies, sir,” JARVIS responds with all the patience the AI possibly possesses, from years of practice taking care of Tony Stark.

“And how did Frosted Flakes become the toaster’s enemy at four in the morning? And why didn’t you tell me my Buttercup was home?”

“Sergeant Barnes called it a bastard and threatened it with a knife, sir.”

“Alright,” Tony nods because that makes complete sense. “Is there a reason you’re avoiding my second question, J?”

JARVIS doesn’t get the chance to respond because Tony is distracted by the sight of Barnes’ Ass where the man is leaning over the counter and whispering threats to Tony’s toaster in Russian.

“You alright there, Winter Wonderland?” Tony asks when he regains his ability to speak.

“I’m going to murder your toaster and then murder you, Tony,” Bucky says in a heavily accented voice without even looking away from the toaster. Tony would be terrified if he didn’t find it hot as hell. “And then I’m going to bring you back to life just so I can murder you again.”

“Christ,” Tony mutters, running a hand over his face before walking past the super soldier and to the coffee machine. He presses start and then leans against the counter, watching Bucky carefully. “When was the last time you slept, Cranky Cupcake?”

“I don’t know,” Bucky growls, glaring at Tony for a moment only to turn back to the toaster.

“JARVIS?” Tony asks as he grabs the creamer from the fridge and sets it on the counter.

“Sergeant Barnes did not sleep on the trip over. I do not have access to the Wakandan feeds.”

“Izmennik,” Barnes whispers harshly and Tony would laugh at the look of shock on the man’s face but Bucky looks truly exhausted.

“Nope,” Tony says when Barnes reaches for the freshly brewed coffee. He downs his mug and grabs the soldier’s hand, leading him to the couch in the living room. He throws one of the blankets over Bucky’s shoulders and then cuddles into his side. “We are going to sit here until you get some sleep and only then will I fix the toaster.”

“But my bagel,” Bucky mumbles even as he shifts so that his head is in Tony’s lap. Tony brings his hand up and pets over Bucky’s braids, knowing that the touch is soothing.

“Your bagels will be here when you wake up, Snowflake,” Tony assures. He quietly directs JARVIS to turn the TV on low and then shifts until he’s comfortable, intending to get some sleep himself.

Which is, as is the story of Tony Stark’s life, exactly when the alarm goes off to signal an emergency.

“I am going to beat the shit out of whoever caused this,” Tony vows with a frown as he pets over Bucky’s hair one more time before shifting him so that he can stand. “I swear on it.”

Bucky groans and blinks his eyes open, frowning at the flashing red lights before looking at Tony. He reaches out to squeeze Tony’s hand before a small smile softens the lines of his face. “Stay safe, Kotenok.”

“Will do, Pumpkin,” Tony assures, even as the nickname falling from Bucky’s lips sends the blood rushing in the wrong—or right, he can’t tell yet—direction. He has to surreptitiously adjust himself before he calls for the suit.

The call is for a B-rated villain in the middle of Central Park that can, somehow—Tony and Bruce think it’s science, Thor says it’s magic—control plants. Tony doesn’t really pay attention while the villain monologues, instead he tries to fit in as many plant-related puns as he can over the comms before Steve tells him to shut up. He makes it to five.

“Stark,” Steve snaps from his spot on the ground, cutting through a branch with his shield.

“Fine,” Tony whines before muttering under his breath, “at least my Bucky-Bear appreciates the puns.”

Tony can feel eyes on him so he looks down to see Steve staring, brows furrowed in confusion. It’s only then that Tony remembers that he can’t get away with whispering in the suit.

“Uh, just ignore that, Capsicle,” Tony urges as he swoops down to repulsor a bush that’s making its way towards Natasha. He flies back up to survey the area and sees a vine heading towards Steve who is still staring at Tony. “On your nine, Cap!”

The fight ends with only minor injuries—Hawkeye fell from a tree—and Tony yawns behind the suit, watching as the first rays of sunlight peek over the tops of the buildings surrounding Central Park. He didn’t beat the shit out of Thistle, but he does take vindictive glee in repulsoring the shit out of a thick set of vines that threaten to fall on the rest of the park.

“I cannot believe—” Tony starts when he lands next to Clint only to be interrupted by a yawn, “I cannot believe that we got called out at five in the morning to be glorified weed-whackers.”

“And now we have to go to a debriefing,” Clint sighs, dropping his forehead onto Tony’s metal arm. “I don’t want to go to a debriefing.”

“Wanna play hooky?” Tony asks, forgetting (again) that he’s still on the team comms.

“Tony,” Steve snaps, and Tony closes his eyes, not looking forward to the talking to he’s for sure going to get.

“Sir,” JARVIS interrupts Steve’s building rant urgently and Tony stands straighter, coming to full alert. “Sergeant Barnes is requesting that you return to the tower immediately.”

“Since when was Bucky back?” Steve demands, almost but not quite glaring at Tony.

“Since this morning,” Tony replies absently. “What’s going on, J?”

“He says, and I am paraphrasing this, that he will go to the future and steal your firstborn child if you don’t fix the microwave.”

“What the hell did I even do to the microwave?” Tony demands, throwing his arms up in defeat. “Did he threaten to throw it in a volcano or something?”

“Or something, indeed, sir.” It’s not good at all when even JARVIS doesn’t want to explain what happened.

Tony takes a deep breath and disengages the faceplate so that he’s no longer on comms and can talk freely.

“Well, you heard the man, Rogers. I can’t very well stick around for a briefing when my unborn first child is being threatened.”

“Tony, don’t you d—”

Tony doesn’t let Steve finish before he’s re-engaging the mask and taking off for the tower.

“Comms off, JARVIS,” Tony says and the calls from Rogers for him to come back are cut off immediately. “Send a text to Freeze Ray that if he’s threatened another one of my kitchen appliances that I can’t help him.”

“Incoming call from Sergeant Barnes.”

“What’s up, Snowflake?” Tony answers when the call connects. He’s nearing the tower but doesn’t bother to tell the soldier that.

“The microwave’s fine, doll,” Bucky says though his voice sounds a little off. “I jus’ sleep better with you ‘s all.”

“Jesus Christ,” Tony says as his heart skips a beat and the Iron Man suit veers heavily to the left. “You cannot say that shit while I’m flying anymore, Snowflake. That’s a rule now. Officially not allowed. It’s a health hazard.”

“Sure thing, Solnishko.”

“Fuck,” Tony says before cutting off the call for his own safety. He cannot concentrate on flying when Bucky is calling him pet names in Russian. It’s impossible.

Moments later Tony lands on the top of the tower and sighs as the armor falls away from his body. He rolls his stiff shoulders and makes his way into the penthouse where he’s met with the lovely sight of one Sergeant Barnes curled up on his couch with the Iron Man blanket Tony had bought for him as a joke on Bucky’s one-year anniversary of being Hydra free.

He takes a moment to appreciate the view. Bucky is an attractive man, as Tony noticed when he was thirteen and just figuring out what sexuality meant. Seventy years and a boat-load of trauma later and the man was still turning heads.

As attractive as Bucky looks sprawled on Tony’s couch, he also looks exhausted. The bags under his eyes are puffier than they had been when Tony left and red-rimmed eyes show Tony that the man had been crying.

“Buttercup,” Tony says softly as he sits down by Bucky’s feet. “Muffin, what’s wrong?”

Bucky doesn’t say anything as he rolls the edge of the blanket between his fingers, not even daring to look at Tony. They sit in silence for longer than Tony can handle.

Tony stands up, his heart breaking when Bucky flinches at the movement. But instead of walking away like he knows Bucky expects, Tony steps in front of the soldier and kneels down, so that he is looking at Bucky’s face.

“Snowflake,” Tony says as gently as he knows how. He hates to see Bucky this way but knows that the man is still healing. That, all things considered, Bucky is still very early in the healing process. “You don’t have to talk about it, just know that I’m here for you. Whatever you need, I’ve got you.”

Tony hesitates when Bucky doesn’t acknowledge him. He’s preparing to stand, knees aching as he shifts his weight when Bucky reaches out to stop him with a hand to Tony’s shoulder.

“Please stay,” Bucky pleads, looking down at Tony with red-rimmed eyes. “I don’t—I can’t talk about it but—”

“It’s okay, Bucky Bear,” Tony assures, reaching up and tenderly tucking his hair behind an ear, leaving his hand there when Bucky leans into it. Tony smiles as he watches Bucky’s eyes flutter shut and the man relaxes. “Why don’t we put on a movie and I can tell you about the time I called a senator an asshole on national television.”

***

Sun filters through the blinds, casting the room in a warm glow when Tony wakes. His body feels warm and his arm feels heavy and he almost panics until he hears a sleepy grumble coming from the body next to him.

“J?” Tony whispers and a display screen pops up in front of him with the date and time. They’ve only been sleeping for three hours. “What woke me up?”

“Captain Rogers is on his way up,” JARVIS tells him and Tony has to bite back the panic, the need to hide the fact that Bucky is with him.

Instead, after a deep breath and a quick reminder that he’s not doing anything wrong, Tony presses a kiss onto Bucky’s forehead. Carefully, Tony moves his arm so that he can get the blood flowing back into it.

“No,” Bucky grumbles petulantly, not opening his eyes as he latches onto Tony, pulling him back into his side even as Tony’s elbow jabs into the super soldier’s stomach.

“Alright, Cranky Cupcake,” Tony says with a chuckle. “Steve’s on his way up and while I know you don’t care, and I don’t care, I don’t think he’s ready to find us cuddling on the couch.”

“Don’t care,” Bucky says, sounding more awake. “Steve can kiss my ass. I’m not letting you up.”

Tony smiles so wide his cheeks hurt, unable, and unwilling to hide the happiness Bucky’s words send through him. He places another kiss on Bucky’s forehead and settles back into his spot, playing with the hair that has fallen out of Bucky’s braids.

His eyes pop open when Bucky shifts next to him and suddenly the light is being blocked.

“You’re okay with that, right?” Bucky asks hesitantly, his eyes searching Tony’s face for any sign that this might not be the best news Tony has heard since this whole thing between them began.

Before Tony gets the chance to respond, the sound of the elevator doors opening fills the room and he shifts so that he’s sitting up next to Bucky instead of laying directly under him. Tony sees the moment Bucky starts to doubt everything so he reaches out and grabs Bucky’s fingers, threading them together.

“Steve,” Tony greets when the blonde enters the room, purpose in his stride and a rigid posture. “What brings you to my humble abode?”

“Tony,” Steve says his name in the way that means Tony is in trouble for something before taking in how Bucky is cuddled against Tony’s side and their hands are clasped together over the blankets. “How long has—”

Steve trails off like he’s not sure he wants to put words to what he can see in front of him.

“Three weeks, two days, thirteen hours and four-ish minutes,” Tony says before Bucky can even open his mouth. Bucky squeezes his hand and Tony can’t help but glance at the man with a small smile. “We’re still figuring it out though, so I hope you can appreciate why we’re not shouting from the rooftops. Though that’s mainly because Buckarrito here vetoed that idea.”

“Yeah, no, that makes sense,” Steve agrees, though he still looks unsure. “I’m mainly here to ask why the toaster is yelling profanities. You weren’t answering my texts.”

Tony reaches for his phone on the side table and opens it to see a slew of messages from Steve.

**Capsicle:** Tony. The toaster just called me a bastard. **Received 12:31 pm**  
**Capsicle:** Now it’s threatening to eat my English Muffins **Received 12:32 pm**  
**Capsicle:** Tony, what did you do to the toaster? **Received 12:32 pm**  
**Capsicle** : Please come fix it. **Received 12:33 pm**  
**Capsicle:** It’s just saying fuck and shit over and over now. **Received 12:35 pm**  
**Capsicle:** It insulted my taste in shoes. Tony. **Received 12:36 pm**  
**Capsicle:** Now it’s threatening to burn the tower down. I’m coming up to you. **Received 12:40 PM**

“Has anyone tried unplugging it?” Tony asks innocently, looking up from the phone. “Usually they don’t work when they’re unplugged.”

“No, Tony, none of us thought to _unplug_ the toaster. Clearly your genius is unparalleled,” Steve snaps. He sighs and runs a hand over his face warily. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped like that. It’s been a long week and I guess it’s catching up to me.”

“Sir,” JARVIS interrupts urgently. “It appears that the toaster is _moving_.”

Which would explain how it got from the penthouse to the communal kitchen.

Tony swallows thickly as he tries to figure out how to respond. “What the hell was I doing last night, JARVIS?”

“You took the toaster from the kitchen muttering about the travesty it is that you had to come up from the workshop to get food. You proceeded to hold it like a baby before returning to the workshop and apparently installing an AI and wheels on the toaster.”

“That checks out, I guess,” Tony mutters, squeezing Bucky’s hand one more time before letting go and leveraging himself off the couch. His back aches so Tony takes a moment to stretch before heading the elevator with Steve and Bucky trailing behind him. “Let’s go see what I can do about this toaster.”

***  
The living room on the communal floor is in utter chaos when the three of them step out of the elevator. Clint is hanging from the vents, muttering angrily about stupid genius inventors, while Sam is hopping from couch to couch brandishing a broom. Nat sits calmly in the chaos at the island, with a sandwich on the plate in front of her.

“How the hell did you get the toaster to actually toast your bread?” Sam calls, not noticing the newcomers. “It tried to eat my shoes three times already. It’s worse than a chihuahua.”

“You could try not comparing him to literally the worst breed of dog to ever exist,” Tony responds, startling Clint into letting go of the vent and falling to the ground with a grunt.

The toaster stops in the middle of the living room and seems to be staring at Steve, Tony, and Bucky. Tony doesn’t hesitate to stride forward and scoop the thing up into his arms, cradling it gently.

“Are these big bad meanies being rude to you, baby?” Tony coos gently, looking away to glare at Clint and Sam. “I know, it’s been a hard first day in this world, hasn’t it. I bet you’re so confused.”

“We’re not keeping the toaster, Tony,” Steve says.

Tony snorts, “Of course we’re not. MT’s gonna go hang out with Uncle Fury at the shield headquarters.”

“Tony,” Steve says his name like Tony is being unreasonable when really it’s the perfect plan.

“What?” Tony asks innocently, shrugging at Steve. “MT clearly wants to take over the world and Fury is the perfect sidekick for that plan. They both curse like sailors and respond best to either thinly veiled threats or straight-up bribery.”

Tony looks up from MT to see Bucky staring at him with wide eyes. Tony doesn’t know how to respond to the emotions he sees there, so he coughs to clear his throat and turns back to the others.

“Clint, you’ve got ties with Shield still. You wanna take MT to his new home?”

“No,” Clint shouts, trying to run from the room through the kitchen only to be stopped by Natasha sticking her leg out and tripping the archer. He scrambles away from the group, shaking his head the entire time. “No. No, no, no, no. You cannot make me spend time with that thing.”

Tony sends Clint off with a wave and a threat if MT doesn’t make it to Fury a few minutes later, after bribing the archer with a year’s supply of chocolate. He turns back to the other occupants of the room with a small smile.

“What does MT stand for, anyway?” Steve asks after a moment.

“Mark Toaster.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izmennik=Traitor  
> Solnishko= Sunshine


	2. The Coffee Maker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to earn that E rating :D

When one is faced with an irate Pepper at six in the morning it is a fool’s move to not immediately jump off the couch one crashed on thirty minutes previously and immediately start the coffee machine. A happy Pepper is a caffeinated Pepper and it’s clear to Tony, despite Pepper’s pristine appearance, that the woman has not had the chance to grab a cup of the life-saving elixir before showing up in Tony’s penthouse.

“What did I do?” Tony asks once Pepper has made it halfway through her second cup. “Cause whatever it is I can either fix it myself or pay someone better than me at the thing to fix it.”

“It’s—It’s not you, Tony,” Pepper says with a sigh. She takes another sip of her coffee before her shoulders slump in a manner that is so very un-Pepper like that Tony starts to panic.

“Who do I need to ruin, then?” Tony demands, pulling a chair out from the table and sitting on it backward dramatically. The little flair works to draw a smile out of Pepper. “Cause I will ruin anyone that thinks they can mess with you, Pep.”

“I think I need a break,” Pepper says suddenly and Tony only has a moment to panic because Pepper leaving the company is one of the worst things he can think of. “Not like that, Tones. I’m not leaving the company I just...”

Tony stands to take her hand when she trails off and leads Pepper to the couch, which seems like a much more suitable place for this conversation. They have had a lot of conversations on this couch and while they’re not like that anymore, haven’t been like that for years, it’s still fitting.

“What is it Pep?” Tony asks when they’re both comfortable, pressed together on the couch and covered in a warm blanket.

“I woke up the other day, Tony and… you remember that awful meeting I had in San Antonio with the CEO looking for a merger?”

“The one I told you wasn’t worth it?” He teases, squeezing the arm he has around Pepper’s shoulders.

Pepper rolls her eyes. “Well, when I was there I saw someone from college. Yolanda Grattis. We had several classes together but other than that never ran in the same circles. Well, we started talking and she showed me pictures of her family and I just… I want a kid Tony. I don’t want to wake up someday and realize that I’m alone and I need to step back for a bit and reevaluate what it is I want in life. Stark Industries is in a good, a great place and—”

“Okay,” Tony says because he’s not a shitty friend and he’ll do whatever he needs to make Pepper happy. “Tell me what you need from me.”

“You’re the only one the shareholders will accept to run the company when I’m off figuring my shit out, Tones,” Pepper says like Tony’s going to run away because of it. He squeezes her again.

“Okay,” Tony says because it’s really that simple. He really is the best option and he’s been CEO before, he’s in a much better place to handle that again. Hell, he might even do some good this time. “Is that all?”

“Is that? Are you sure you’re my best friend Tony? _The_ Tony Stark?”

Tony rolls his eyes at the teasing. “Hey, I’ve matured.” Pepper raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Some.”

“Thank you, Tony,” Pepper says, grabbing his hand and squeezing it.

“Tony?”

Tony cannot be blamed for forgetting that Bucky had stayed with him in the penthouse last night. He’s only two cups of coffee in and it’s before seven in the morning so clearly he’s not functioning well enough for such thought processes to connect.

It’s not that he’s hiding Bucky from anyone. He’s proud of what he has with the soldier—if Tony does say so himself they do look good together—but what they have still feels so new and while it’s really no one’s fault that people keep finding out (first Steve and now Pepper) Tony kinda wishes they could keep this to themselves for a little bit longer.

“Oh,” Bucky says, standing shirtless behind the couch, his accent thicker with the last vestiges of sleep. “I didn’t realize—”

“It’s okay, Brooklyn,” Tony says with a gentle smile. He reaches out a hand to his boyfriend—and wow, just thinking that sends a thrill through him—and grins when he grabs it. “Pepper’s not gonna tell anyone.”

“Since when?” Pepper asks and she doesn’t sound upset. When Tony glances over at her she’s wearing a soft smile that emphasizes the laughter lines by her eyes. He really likes that look on her and realizes suddenly that it’s been sorely missing recently. A break really is exactly what Pepper needs after all these years of cleaning up after Tony.

“Three weeks now,” Bucky says, squeezing Tony’s hand and bending slightly to kiss it. “It’s not that this is a secret, really, but ’s nice to just be… us, I guess. Without having to be us in a group of people.”

“Plus,” Tony adds with a mischievous grin, “We’ve got a bet going on how long it takes Clint to figure it out.”

****

“Tony, we didn’t know you’d be in today,” Mr. Lee greets loudly. He’s an older man—one of Tony’s first hires during his first go at being CEO—who wears sunglasses more often than Tony does, that Tony leaves charge of R&D when he’s not available for any amount of time. “I thought you were taking over in the big office for the next two weeks while Ms. Potts was out?”

“R&D is still one of my priorities, Stan,” Tony grins. “Besides, all work and no explosions makes for a very grumpy Stark.”

A throat clearing behind him has Tony turning around sheepishly to meet the bright blue eyes of Bucky with his arms crossed and a raised brow. Tony finds the look to be unnervingly attractive even when he knows that his boyfriend isn’t happy with him.

“Sorry, Stanley, Tony has a meeting he’s trying to avoid,” Bucky smiles at the man before grabbing Tony’s hand and dragging him back to the elevator.

“I don’t know how Pepper put up with you for so long,” Bucky says and it shouldn’t hurt, he knows Bucky doesn’t mean anything by it. So it really shouldn’t sting the way it does—like Tony’s back to being the disappointment he was before becoming Iron Man—but Tony feels his heart clench as he has to bite back a retort (his best defense is going on the offensive, after all).

Instead, Tony stops trying to pull away and stands quietly beside Bucky. He doesn’t say anything as the elevator ascends to the thirty-fourth floor where the meeting he admittedly was avoiding is supposed to take place.

“Tony I—”

“I’ve got a meeting,” Tony says, harsher than he really means to. “See you later, Bucky.”

He knows Bucky’s still standing where he left him, looking lost, but Tony is not in the position, mentally or emotionally, to deal with this. So instead, Tony takes his seat for the meeting—and thank goodness he’s early—and waits for it to be over so he can hide out in the lab for a couple of hours (days) until the whole thing blows over and Tony can pretend he’s fine.

The meeting, as Tony knew it would be, is boring. He does his best to pay attention but his mind keeps circling back to what Bucky said and how it made him feel and he knows right now is not the time for introspection but he just can’t help it.

“...Stark. Mr. Stark?”

Tony tunes back in at the sound of his name and looks around to see everyone looking at him. He allows himself a moment to mentally catch up on the conversation before he gives his two cents.

“Sorry,” Tony apologizes, a rare occurrence in meetings for sure, but he did tell Pepper he was capable of this (and he wants this to be better than his last run as CEO, even if he’s only the acting CEO this time). “I have to agree with Ms. Perez on this one.” Tony stands and makes his way to the front of the room where he has JARVIS project the information that he and his team gathered for the meeting.

When the meeting finishes an eternity after his presentation Tony grabs a coffee from the break room, takes a sip, and promptly dumps it into the sink. He splits the sludge in his mouth out and rinses his mouth out under the running water.

“I’m taking this,” Tony says to the empty room and unplugs the coffee machine, picks it up, and makes his way to the elevator like nothing is wrong. “To the lab, J.”

“Sir, serge—”

“I’m not taking any calls or messages right now, JARVIS.”

“As you say, sir,” JARVIS says carefully.

“Sorry, baby boy, I just can’t do it right now.”

“I understand, sir.”

The elevator opens up to the lobby of his lab and Tony hesitates there for a moment. If he were any good at relationships he’d probably go find Bucky right now and explain why he’s acting the way he is. But, since he’s not good at them, has never been good at them, Tony enters his lab.

He stops short when he sees Bucky standing there, staring at a tablet on the table with his shoulders hunched in. Tony doesn’t dare to move, let alone breathe. He clenches the coffee machine tighter and waits for Bucky to make the first move.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky says after a moment, still not looking at Tony. He taps at the tablet and turns around. Tony sees the defeated look on his face and nearly drops the coffee machine in his haste to get to Bucky.

Tony doesn’t even think he might be unwelcome as he sets the machine on the table and then throws his arms around Bucky’s waist, burying his face in the man’s shoulder. Bucky’s arms wrap around Tony and hold him tight.

“I called Pepper,” Bucky says after a moment of them just swaying together. “‘Cause I know I said something I shouldn’t have and I needed to make sure I wasn’t gonna make it worse by invadin’ your space like this. It was a tasteless, thoughtless joke and I’m so, so sorry that I hurt you like that. Tony,” Bucky lets go and places a hand on Tony’s cheek until he looks up. “I am so sorry that I made you feel like a burden. You are absolutely not and I am so very lucky to have you in my life.”

Bucky wipes under Tony’s eyes and it’s only then that he realizes he’s crying. The kiss Bucky places on the top of his head feels so tender that Tony’s tears come faster. He doesn’t know what to say—doesn’t know if he can say anything—so instead, Tony buries his face again and waits until he’s breathing normally.

Maybe Tony doesn’t have to be good at relationships. Not when Bucky is right there with him.

Bucky leads him to the couch and they spend the next hour cuddling. Neither of the men speak and Tony is okay with that. He needs the silence to gather his thoughts, to process, and to hopefully put this whole thing behind him.

“Growin’ up,” Tony starts before clearing his throat. He doesn’t even know when he made the decision to tell Bucky this but it feels right. “Growing up with Howard was… difficult. He was more likely to share his evenings with the bottom of a bottle than his only son. Even young I knew he wasn’t a good man but he was my father, y’know, and I wanted his approval so much that it always ended up biting me in the ass.” Bucky places another kiss on Tony’s head, which Tony appreciates more than he can say. “He made me feel like I wasn’t worth anyone’s time. Every moment he spent with me was a chore and I hated it.”

Bucky makes a wounded sound and Tony quickly turns in his lap to look at him fully. Bucky has his eyes closed and looks like he’s close to tears so Tony does the only thing he can think of and cups Bucky’s cheeks before he’s leaning forward and kissing him warm and firm.

“Mi amore,” Tony whispers, leaning his forehead against Bucky’s and waiting until their breathing settles to continue. “I did not tell you this to make you feel bad. I told you this so that you’d understand my reaction.”

Bucky nods and then he’s kissing Tony again and Tony is completely on board with this development. The kiss is hot and passionate, full of clicking teeth and bitten lips, broken only when Bucky flips them so that Tony is the one on the couch and Bucky is kneeling between his legs.

“Can I, Doll?” Bucky asks, voice hoarse and licking his lips. He already looks debauched and the image he creates sends a shot of want straight to Tony’s dick.

“Yeah,” Tony tries, his voice breaking on the word. He nods his head vehemently to make sure Bucky understands that he is absolutely consenting to a blow job right now.

Bucky smirks as he leans forward to pull Tony’s zipper down with his teeth. One of Tony’s hands flies to bury itself in Bucky’s hair while his other covers his mouth to stop a whine at the sight.

“Nuh-uh,” Bucky says, pulling back much to Tony’s disappointment. “I’ve earned those sounds fair and square Solnishko. Lemme hear them. Or, better yet...”

Tony’s pretty sure he’s going to explode when Bucky’s metal fingers trace his lips before one slips into Tony’s mouth. He sucks at it greedily, lifting his hips obediently when Bucky taps, so that the soldier can pull Tony’s pants down one-handed.

“You’re beautiful like this,” Bucky says, looking up at Tony with awe plainly written in his eyes. “Absolutely stunning and all of it is for me.”

“Fuck,” Tony says, bucking his hips when Bucky mouths at his cock through his boxers.

Bucky’s flesh hand is enough to hold Tony still as Bucky continues his ministrations, pushing Tony closer and closer to the edge as the tension in his stomach builds.

“James,” Tony sighs, absolutely thrilled by the way Bucky growls against his thigh.

“Off,” Bucky growls, pulling Tony’s boxers down to where his pants rest on his thighs.

Tony hisses as his cock is exposed to the cool air of the lab. He feels close, so, so close to his climax. Pleasure builds as Bucky leans in and licks over the burning flesh.

“Suck,” Bucky orders, holding his metal hand in front of Tony’s mouth.

Tony obeys immediately, pulling two fingers into his mouth, taking great pleasure in the taste of metal on his tongue. His eyes close at the sensation as he wets the fingers. He whines when they pull away, only for Bucky to laugh at him.

“Rude,” Tony grunts, opening his eyes to see Bucky with one fist around his own cock, worrying a hickey onto Tony’s thigh.

Bucky winks at him, takes Tony’s cock all the way down to the base, and presses a single finger against Tony’s hole and Tony tips right over the edge.

“James,” Tony groans as he climaxes, pleasure white-hot and blinding as it courses through his entire body as he cums in Bucky’s mouth. “Fuck, James.”

“Love it when you call me that,” Bucky grunts as he pulls away, working his hand over Tony’s cock as he comes down from his high. “You’re fucking perfect, Antoshka.”

Tony takes a moment to catch his breath, sinking sated and tired into the couch. He looks down at Bucky just in time to see the man reach his peak. Bucky is a sight to behold when he climaxes, his tongue licking Tony’s cum off of swollen lips. His cheeks are red and with eyes half-closed Bucky looks like every single fantasy Tony has had about the man.

“I like it when you call me James,” Bucky says softly, leaning against Tony’s thigh and looking up at Tony like he hung the moon.

“I could think of a thousand ways to say your name, Bucky Boo, but James might just be my favorite,” Tony grins, pulling Bucky up into a kiss more tender than it should be considering where Bucky’s mouth had just been.

“Why don’t you say it more?” Bucky wonders when he pulls back.

Tony kisses Bucky’s forehead, he doesn’t trust any of the towels in the lab so he pulls off his shirt to clean them up before tucking first Bucky and them himself back into their pants.

“James,” he says once he’s leaning against Bucky’s side, relishing in the way Bucky reacts to the name with a low groan, perfect and all Tony’s. “That’s why. The way you react to it is so absolutely beautiful and I’m selfish enough to know that I never want another person to see it.”

“Tony,” Bucky says, kissing Tony lightly on the nose. “I love you.”

***

“Tony?” Steve asks cautiously when he enters the lab twenty minutes after Bucky left for a shower. “What are you doing to the coffee machine?”

“Fixing it.”


	3. The Television

“Rhodey,” Tony whines when his best friend doesn’t even bother to look at him. “Platypus.”

“Tony.”

“I’m bored,” Tony flops down on the couch, nearly dropping his cup as he does but recovering quick enough to not spill anything.

“Your boyfriend has been gone for twenty minutes. Tony, you’re fine.”

Tony looks at Rhodey in shock, his jaw hanging open in an expression the genius rarely wore.

“Was it supposed to be a secret?” Rhodey asks with a perfectly arched brow. “Cause if so you guys better stop with the gooey-eyes every time you’re in the same room.”

Tony splutters, “We do not make gooey-eyes. If anything they’re bedroom eyes.”

“They are way too soft to be anything but gooey-eyes and you know it.”

“Are not,” Tony argues and sticks his tongue out at Rhodey like the mature adult that he is.

Tony’s phone beeps and he picks it up instantly, recognizing Bucky’s text tone.

 **Ice Queen:** Miss you already, **received 3:12 pm**

“Gooey-eyes...” Rhodey teases with a laugh, but Tony ignores him.

 **Me:** Miss you more, Brooklyn. **s** **ent 3:13 pm**

I **ce Queen:** Impossible. **received 3:13 pm**

 **Me:** Absolutely not. I refuse to be this type of couple. **sent 3:14 pm**

 **Ice Queen:** So you accept that I miss you more? **received 3:15 pm**

 **Me:** In your dreams, Snowflake. **sent** **3:15 pm**

 **Ice Queen:** Mmmm, you do star in most of my dreams, doll. **received** **3:16 pm**

“No, absolutely not,” Rhodey says, throwing his hands up in defeat. “I refuse to be here if you two are going to be doing that.”

“Doing what?” Tony asks innocently, staring wide-eyed at Rhodey, even though he knows exactly what they’re doing.

“I’m going to see Pepper.”

***

Since Pepper had made it back from her spiritual-trip-to-figure-out-her-life Tony has had a lot more free time on his hands. He’s back to skipping board meetings and creating (mild) explosions in the R&D lab. Tony spends a lot of his free time in his own lab since most of the Avengers are on a mission—still, two weeks later—and there’s no one to keep him company but the bots.

Bucky had gone with them too and Tony had needed to stay back for SI reasons. (Bruce is still off-world somewhere with Thor).

But now, Tony is bored. The team is radio silent so while Tony knows where they are and is prepared to intervene in an emergency he’s not allowed to have contact.

He hates not being able to have contact.

“J, what projects do I have?” Tony asks as he closes out of the screen for the tracker he’d placed in Bucky’s arm (with permission, he’s an asshole but he’s not that bad).

“None, sir.”

“None?” Tony asks, flabbergasted as he stares at the ceiling. “Seriously?”

“Yes, sir,” JARVIS sounds pleased. “In the past two weeks you have finished every project for SI and the Avengers.”

“Nothing for NEW SHIELD?”

“There is nothing, sir.”

“Huh,” Tony says and he sets down the wrench he’d been toying with and walks to the elevator. “Common floor.”

He starts a part of coffee before realizing that the communal kitchen is way too quiet.

“TV on please, J,” Tony asks, leaning against the counter.

The TV doesn’t turn on automatically and Tony is about to respond when JARVIS speaks. “The TV appears to be broken, sir.”

“Well we can’t have that, can we, J?” Tony grins, pouring himself a cup of coffee and heading into the living area.

“No, sir, we cannot.”

As it turns out, the television is something he designed fifteen years ago as a prototype for a line of electronics that never made it past the focus group. He doesn’t remember what was wrong with it but Tony can tell that it needs serious upgrades if he wants it to work to current SI standards.

“Aha!” Tony shouts into the empty lab, startling Butterfingers into dropping something. “That should do it.”

Tony grins in satisfaction before carrying the TV to the living area and remounting it to the wall. He wants to sit and relax for a bit but then Tony gets a whiff of his own BO and shower is a definite priority.

“Penthouse,” Tony says tiredly.

He trudges through his shower and crashes face-first onto the bed, not even bothering to get dressed. He’ll worry about things like clothes in the morning. Closing his eyes and ignoring his empty bed is definitely more important right now.

***

“I could get used to that view.”

The familiar voice pulls Tony out of a very pleasant dream involving Bucky and various dessert toppings. His eyes blink open begrudgingly and he has to take a moment to process that the real Bucky is standing in his room wearing a too-tight t-shirt and a pair of Tony’s sweats from MIT.

“Bucky!” Tony yells excitedly—something he’ll deny if ever brought up outside his bedroom– and throws himself at his boyfriend. “You’re home.”

“Yes,” Bucky’s arms wrap warmly around Tony’s waist. “And you’re naked.”

Tony mumbles an excuse into Bucky’s shoulder but he’s not sure the other man can understand him. Bucky doesn’t seem to care as his metal arm runs up and down Tony’s spine before Tony suddenly—and pleasantly—finds himself locked in a kiss with the Winter Soldier.

“Mmm,” Tony says, mouthing down Bucky’s neck. “Missed you. Wanna show you how much, James.”

Bucky shudders and pulls Tony in closer as he grinds against Tony’s naked waist. Tony loves the feeling and wraps his arms around Bucky’s neck and jumps up to wrap his legs around Bucky’s waist, grinding down.

“Fuck,” Bucky hisses. “You feel ‘mazing.”

“I’d feel better with you in me,” Tony grins, pulling Bucky into another kiss, this one even more heated than the last. “Want you in me.”

“Who’m I to deny you that,” Bucky growls before tossing Tony onto the bed and climbing over him.

Bucky leans back so he’s sitting up and resting over Tony’s thighs. He pulls his shirt off over his head and then leans down to kiss Tony fiercely. Every feeling of loneliness and love is pushed into the kiss until Tony is melting into the bed.

“You’re hot,” Tony says when Bucky pulls back to kiss his way down Tony’s neck. “Have I ever mentioned that before? Cause I feel like I should say that more.”

“It’s been said once or twice,” Bucky smirks before biting down on one of Tony’s nipples. “Could stand to hear it more.”

Tony gasps at the painful pleasure that courses through his body when Bucky bites down on the other side. He wants friction, craves something he can grind his aching cock against, but Buck has his hips thoroughly pinned to the bed and there’s nothing Tony can do.

It makes his blood sing.

Bucky climbs off Tony and lifts his legs up, exposing Tony for Bucky to look his fill. Tony wants to look away but he can’t, not when Bucky looks as hungry as he does.

“I’m going to show you how much I missed you,” Bucky smirks, reaching for the lube on the side table. “And then we’re going to have a nice breakfast with the team.”

“Don’t mention,” Tony gasps when lube covered fingers trace his hole. “Fuck. Don’t mention the team when you’re about to stick your dick in me.”

“Your dick doesn’t seem to mind,” Bucky grins, wrapping his metal hand around Tony’s cock and squeezing. “Maybe it would like that, huh? The team seeing me make you fall apart?”

“James,” Tony whines, grinding down on the fingers in his hole. “Please. ‘M ready.”

Bucky pumps his fingers in once, twice more before pulling them out and cleaning them on the bedspread. Tony whines at the empty feeling and reaches his hand out, looking for something to hold onto.

“I’ve got you,” Bucky reassures as he grabs onto Tony’s hand.

“Kiss me,” Tony orders and Bucky does as he reaches with his metal hand to steady himself as he pushes into Tony.

Tony feels amazing as Bucky finally comes to a stop. He’ll never get over how full Bucky makes him feel.

“You feel so good,” Bucky groans, placing a kiss on Tony’s forehead before he starts moving.

Bucky pulls back slowly, nearly leaving Tony empty again, before slamming back in. Tony groans at the feeling of Bucky’s cock brushing against his prostate as Bucky maintains a steady—almost but not quite brutal—pace.

“James, I—” Tony manages before he’s cumming hot onto his stomach. “Fuck.”

“Christ, Tony,” James grunts and then he’s spilling into Tony as well, following him over the blissful edge as he pulls Tony into a searing kiss.

“Not sure if I’m satisfied with how much you missed me,” Tony teases when he can breathe normally again.

“Ass,” Bucky grunts, biting Tony’s shoulder where his head rests.

“Mmm. I do have a nice ass,” Tony closes his eyes and snuggles down into Bucky’s arms. “I missed you.”

“Missed you too,” Bucky kisses Tony once more before they both fall into a light sleep.

***

“There’s something wrong with your TV, Stark,” Clint shouts before Tony even has the chance to step off the elevator, Bucky close behind him.

“It’s probably just your reflection,” Tony calls back, pulling Bucky into the kitchen where he can smell a fresh pot of coffee.

“Ha ha, very funny asshole,” Clint says. “It’s not playing what I want.”

Steve is at the stove flipping chocolate chip pancakes and frying eggs so Tony and Bucky move to the living room where they won’t be in the way.

“Probably because what you want is stupid,” Bucky snarks. “Hey, J, play, uh, Jurassic… World.”

The TV switches from a reality TV show to Jurassic World, which causes Clint to flip Bucky off before grumbling about how JARVIS doesn’t like him.

“Wait,” Tony says, turning to Bucky. “Have you seen Jurassic Park yet?”

“No?”

“J, play Jurassic Park.”

The TV switches to a nature documentary about bees. Tony stares at it wide-eyed before turning to look back at Bucky and Clint.

“What the hell?”

“J, play Jurassic Park,” Bucky tries and the TV turns to the opening credits of Jurassic Park.

“JARVIS,” Tony says cautiously. “What did I do?”

“You installed an AI in the TV that would only respond to, and I am paraphrasing here, ‘The man with the best dick.’”

Bucky preens at this as he settles in against Tony’s side.

“Just watch the show, doll,” Bucky says gently. “You can fix it later.”

***

They’re late to Wednesday movie night because Tony couldn’t keep it in his pants. Not that he was going to announce that. Bucky squeezes his waist as he gently kisses him before they walk into the kitchen to grab their bowls of popcorn.

Clint stands in the kitchen, his mouth hanging open and his popcorn falling out of the bowl he’s barely holding in his hands.

“You guys are?” He asks, pointing wildly between them. He doesn’t wait for an answer before running into the living area yelling that they’re dating.

“You owe me,” Tony says, grabbing Bucky’s hand with a grin and pulling him after Clint. “Told ya he’d immediately tell everyone.”

“Clint,” Natasha says, shaking her head sadly. “We knew that already. They’ve been dating for weeks.”

Clint stares at Nat for a moment before turning to look at the others who are all nodding in agreement. He finally turns to look at Tony and Bucky with hurt in his eyes. Tony feels bad for this but Bucky quickly steps in front of him.

“I wasn’t ready to tell anyone,” Bucky says softly, placing a gentle hand on Clint’s shoulder. “Everyone else found out by accident too.”

“Really?”

“Really, really.”

Clint nods, smiles at Tony, and then takes his place next to Nat. Tony and Bucky sit on the loveseat, curled up with each other like they have been for weeks (and it’s a wonder Clint didn’t connect the dots before)

“Can you start the movie, Bucks Bunny?” Tony says after a moment. “Since the TV only listens to you.”

“Only if you never call me that again.”

“No promises,” Tony says, kissing Bucky on the cheek before moving to his ear, whispering quietly, “James.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious: the coffee machine ends up back in the break room Tony took it from and it always brews the perfect cup of coffee, even if it's not the cup the person asks for. The television is moved to the penthouse because everyone gets tired of waiting for Bucky for movie nights. (And Tony only uses it when Bucky's there anyway)


End file.
